Rafa Benitez is in the frame to replace Andre Villas-Boas at Chelsea. The Daily Mail says Benitez is high on Chelsea's list of candidates to replace Villas-Boas until the end of the season if Roman Abramovich loses patience with his coach.

Villas-Boas will find himself in a precarious position if things go badly at Napoli in the Champions League.

With his team fifth in the Barclays Premier League and facing a tricky FA Cup replay at Birmingham, Villas-Boas's debut season at Chelsea continues to go from bad to worse.

Former Liverpool, Inter Milan and Valencia boss Benitez is believed to be open-minded and would be immediately available, having not worked since leaving Inter Milan at the end of 2010.